Question
Is it ok if I take my meds 15 or 30 mins late?
10 October 2016. Related: Adherence, All topics.
Do you have to take your arvs at exactly the same time each day? Will for example 30 mins (or even an hour) each way have any impact whatsoever on the suppression of the virus or cause resistance? I am worried as even though I take them every day some days it is 15 or 30 mins later or earlier than the previous day.
Answer
Thank you for your question.
It is sometimes difficult to take your meds at the exact same time everyday.
Even when starting, there is a window of about an hour either side of your target time when it is still fine to take them.
For example, if you want to take your meds every night at 10 pm, then any time between 9pm and 11pm will be fine.
Everyone has a few times when we forget our meds though.
The less this happens the better. But if it does happen once in a while then there is nothing to worry about. If you forget in the future, take them as soon as you remember. However, if this is already close to the next dose DO NOT take a double dose.
Once you get an undetectable viral load, especially if it has been undetectable for several years, you have more flexibility. This partly depends on which drugs you are using.
Some once daily drugs (including tenofovir DF, emtricitabine and efavirinz) have long half-lives. This means drug levels stay in your body for long enough to cover being several hours late or even missing a dose completely.
Several studies are looking at whether reduced dosing might be safe – for example by only taking ART for four days a week. We need bigger studies before we know if this is safe though.
Note: this question was updated in October 2016 from and original answer in April 2011.
Hello. I am taking efavirenz/lamivudine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate for about 1 year now. One time I drink late because I was so tired came from travel. Instead of 10PM, I drink my pill by 3AM. Is it fine? Should I stick on my schedule of 10PM?
Thank you in advance.
Hi Amar, ARV doses are worked out to be high enough to work against HIV, and low enough not to have side effects. If you take half the dose they might not work properly. And then there can be viral rebound. But you can talk to the doctor about changing ARVs to ones that don’t make you sleep.
Can I take half arvs because full tablet make me sleep all the time
Hi Marcus,
Its great to hear that you’re doing so well, this is really important. No you don’t have AIDS. You have HIV which given that you’ve been on meds for 6 months should now be controlled.
By the way, I started taking ARV 6months ago when I was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia and tuberculosis both at the same time. After proper medication, I got medically cleared from pneumonia after about 2months and from TB after 6months. My question is, is my condition still called AIDS since, technically speaking, I no longer have both diseases and my CD4 count is 395, way above the 200 threshold for AIDS? I have no plan to stop taking my meds or even miss it. Thank you.
Hi. I just want to share my experience on the prescribed time of taking ARV. I take my meds everyday between 10pm to 2am – sometimes at exactly 10pm and sometimes, the following day, at 2am and I do it that way often, unintentionally though. The results? In a span of 6 months, my CD4 count rose almost 3x from 140 to 395. So the 1hr window may not necessarily apply to all since mine is a 4hr window and the drugs still take effect. Thanks.
Hi Linda,
It’s great that you’re looking after your 5 year old like this. The recommendation is usually 3 ARVs for children her age. In Africa this will probably include efavirenz along with lamivudine and abacavir.
Does this mean that her med time at 20h is for efavirenz, which is taken at her bedtime?
It will be fine to switch her morning meds from 06h30 to 08h.
Im a caregiver to a 5 year old who is on ARVs. I find it challenging to administer her meds, lamivudine and abacavir, in the morning on a school day. She has to be at school at 08h30 and they don’t give kids medication as a measure of protecting themselves from any accusations or legal issues. That means I have to give her food at 06h30, which I think its too early for a 5 year old to wake up and immediately have something to eat. Is there danger in giving her meds with food at 08h to match her meds time at 20h in the afternoon?
Hi Mapholisha.
ARVs need to be taken as a solid product, they cannot be dissolved in water. They also should not be broken in half. Have you thought about taking it with some yoghurt? This could help.
When I put ARV pill in my mouth it is hard for me to swallow it,so I what to now if I can put it in the water until it melts and drink after?